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UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

How can you make a difference?  

India’s Viksit Bharat vision underscores the country’s aspiration to become an inclusive, knowledge-driven, and developed nation by strengthening human capital and ensuring equitable access to quality education for all children. Central to this vision is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes foundational learning, holistic education, and addressing disparities faced by disadvantaged communities. National flagship programmes, including Samagra Shiksha, reflect this commitment by prioritizing access, retention, and quality, alongside systemic reforms that promote efficiency, accountability, and innovation.

This vision can be further advanced through learning acceleration, improved learning outcomes, and fostering knowledge sharing, including through mechanisms such as South–South cooperation.

Aligned with these national priorities, UNICEF is working with the Government of India to enhance education outcomes across 16 states, with a focus on marginalized populations through targeted strategies. The organization is increasingly shifting from direct service delivery to strategic advocacy, policy engagement, and high-level partnerships, leveraging domestic resources to achieve scale and sustainability.

To support this agenda, UNICEF proposes to engage a senior consultant with national and/or international expertise in strategic planning, programme development, and teacher education system strengthening, including the facilitation of South–South cooperation.

The consultancy will support the Education Section in advancing the learning agenda through strategic global learning exchanges, facilitating South–South cooperation, and strengthening the continuous professional development of teachers.

The work will support the strategic implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aligned with national priorities under the redefined Samagra Shiksha, and contribute to the GOI–UNICEF Rolling Work Plan (RWP) 2026–27.

This consultancy will foster innovative approaches to teacher development, promote knowledge sharing, and strengthen education systems in line with national and global learning priorities.

The consultancy aims to:

• Support organizing a South–South learning consultation on foundational learning: The consultant will prepare concept notes, agendas, background papers, session plans, presentations, and insight packs that distil evidence and lessons from India’s FLN reforms, facilitating meaningful cross-country knowledge exchange and application.

• Support strengthening of the teacher professional development model: The consultant will provide support in planning and design of continuous professional development, through landscape analysis, concept notes, mapping national and state CPD policies and institutional structure, delivery mechanisms, and system gaps, and contribute to the development of a ToR for identification of technical agency, facilitate in the consultative workshop with national and state level and support in preparation of report regarding the revised CPD of teachers for states, including implementation roadmaps for SCERTs and DIETs.

• Support the development of evidence-based background materials to inform the Country Programme Document: Provide strategic analytical support in the design of the Education programme for the UNICEF India Country Programme (2028–2032). The consultant will support the development of evidence-based background materials across thematic domains, provide strategic inputs on the results framework, and M&E components, ensuring alignment with government priorities, funding opportunities and sustainability consideration.

• Support organizing an international conference on school education: The consultant will develop concept notes, agendas, background materials, session plans, presentations, and fact sheets for the global conference on school education. Work with Ministry of Education and technical institute to plan and document the best practice to showcase at global conference on learning. Coordinate and map out models for primary and secondary education reforms, and learnings from innovations through which other countries have improved access, retention, teaching quality, and relevant skills development.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  Terms of Reference TMC00012241.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

Education:

•  Advanced university degree in education or international development or public policy or social sciences or management

Work Experience:  

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in educational development programme related to foundational learning and secondary education. A strong understanding of educational frameworks and policies, particularly within the Indian context. Proven ability to work across multiple education thematic areas.

Skills:

• Program/Project planning: Experience in developing high-quality large scale programme design, analytical/evaluation reports, policy briefs, and concept/strategy notes, including logical frameworks (ToCs) particularly in the education sector for the UN or other international agencies.
• Strategy development: Experience of undertaking systems diagnostics, research analytics, create comprehensive education strategies for large-scale reform, in diverse educational contexts, along with producing high-quality knowledge products.
• Knowledge exchange: Experience of leading/co-leading global/national knowledge exchange conferences/consultations/events on education.
• Communication and analytical skills: Strong analytical and written communication skills in English, enabling effective engagement with stakeholders and clear presentation of complex information and ability to produce clear, concise reports and presentations

Language Requirements:

• English

For every Child, you demonstrate Care

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter (max 2 pages) outlining understanding of the scope and activities, motivation to undertake it and demonstrating fit for the assignment
• A separate financial proposal (PLEASE USE THE TEMPLATE PROVIDED:  Financial proposal TMC0002241.docx
• A detailed technical proposal - Three relevant first-authored writing samples: These should be related to producing high-quality large scale programme design, analytical/evaluation reports concept/strategy notes and knowledge products including policy briefs, and particularly in education. (Note by submitting a writing sample, the consultant confirms this is their original work. If it is found not to be original work, this will be grounds for non-selection.)

Remarks:  If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not visible on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.